Shivaji belonged to a Maratha family of the Bhonsle clan.

Shivaji's father,
Shahaji Bhonsle, was a Maratha general who served the Deccan Sultanates. His
mother was Jijabai, the daughter of Lakhuji Jadhavrao of Sindhkhed, a Mughal-
aligned sardar claiming descent from a Yadav royal family of Devagiri.

One of Indian history's enlightened and bravest rulers is the legendary Shivaji
Maharaj. He was the one who laid the foundation of the Maratha Empire and
welded the Marathas into a nation by infusing the new spirit of dignity and
unity into the 96 clans of Marathas. The great Shivaji was born in the year 1630
AD.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj laid the foundations of a great empire which

played significant parts in modern Indian history. He established a strong army
and a navy across the Konkan coast. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was also
considered a master of the guerrilla warfare.